DIY hydroelectric generator or homemade hydroelectric power plant. We make a hydrogenerator with our own hands How to make a generator for water pipes

I always wanted to get electricity from the stream that runs around the perimeter of my house. About three years ago, I installed a temporary turbine to see if a larger turbine wheel would work.

The demo version of this wheel was made from old wheel stands and wooden pallets as blades.

As a generator, I used an old DC strip from an Ametec drive motor. To get the whole thing done, I used a mini motorcycle chain and sprockets with 70 and 9 teeth (for wheel rotation and on the engine). All items cost around £ 30.

It generated a maximum of 25 watts and ran for about a year, mainly due to the limitations of the Ametec engine and wheel size, and prompted me to create a larger turbine.

First of all, I needed to dam the water of the stream, so that the water level was about my chest. Without waiting for the end of summer, I, with the help of a bilge pump, drained the water and made a dam of cement.

The turbine wheels were fabricated for me by local construction companies from a durable laminate material used to create cladding and flooring in shipbuilding, 13 mm thick. I made the blades from the same material. Finally, I covered the discs and blades with a special water repellent compound to prolong their life.

I built the base for the turbine from oak logs. The oak turned out to be very tough, so I had to tinker while bolting the logs to the stone frame. I had to drill holes, and for this I had to tie the turbine in order to balance it and adjust all the dimensions and tighten the bolts.

After installing the wheel, the next step was to resolve the issue with the drive and generator.

Initially I used a Minimoto drive, but then the small chain started to slip due to the tooth spacing and I decided to purchase 3/8 pitch chains and sprockets from a bearing supplier. The generator supplied Windblue Power Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG). It is capable of generating 12V at 150 rpm. It is often used as a converted car generator. A conventional generator only outputs 12 volts at 3000 rpm. I ordered this engine from the US for £ 135 including postage.

The wheel was spinning too slowly, and I had to make a stepped sump under the dam, on which water was collected in a narrow vent and poured more forcefully onto the blades.

In addition, I fastened the main frame rails with a 1 cm steel cable, and, where possible, strengthened the base with 1 foot long anchor bolts to protect the device from damage if the dam suddenly bursts or there is a strong gust of wind.

The turbine is equipped with 4x55AH Brand New accumulators. With their help, I constantly recharge my laptop. I also bought two military traction lead-acid batteries 2x110Ah Hawker for lighting the garage and home. The voltage supply to two different types of batteries comes from different wires.

I have been using this system for about a year. The output power is 50 W, at the peak it delivers up to 500 W. A couple of times the turbine was stopped due to the decline of water, as well as due to the blockage of the main flow during floods. And so - it works all year round.

Translation: Yaroslav Nikolaevich

I have always been attracted to getting free energy from natural resources. And somehow I had an idea to make a simple mini power plant that would generate electricity from a water stream passing by.

It all started with the idea of using the drum of an old washing machine as a water wheel - a miniature homemade hydroelectric power plant.

Straight blades made of moisture-resistant plywood were attached to the drum using metal corners.

The torque from the water wheel is transmitted by the belt to the bicycle dynamo (DC generator). The generated electricity is fed to the LED. It is enough to turn the wheel slightly by hand, and the LED will start blinking.

The basis of the entire structure is a bicycle frame.

Two bearings allow the water wheel to spin freely.

The first tests on a small river showed that the water wheel on the frame was set too high to prevent the water flow from spinning normally.
After minor changes in the frame design, the wheel became lower and the rotation speed increased sharply. As a result, the dynamo started to rotate and the 4.5V LED lit up.

This is how a home-made hydroelectric power plant turned out from old rubbish.
Further, the assembled mini hydroelectric power station was installed on a small stream.

It produces only a few volts, but they are enough for the LED to glow.

It was a good experiment to start with.

Further improvement in the project

Further improvements to the water wheel should include:

Build a mini-dam to increase the water pressure. At the same time, it is not planned to completely block the river so that the fish can leave in the second stream.
Install a pipe under the dam, through which water will flow to a homemade turbine. In the pipe, arrange a casing made of a conveyor rubber band. By blocking the flow of water through the pipe, you can service the mechanisms.
The turbine is estimated to deliver about twice the power of a water wheel. In addition, replacing the water wheel with a turbine should remove the problem of freezing in winter.
The flow of water will spin the turbine, transferring torque to the generator. The turbine will be held on two bearings made of solid wood. With regular lubrication, they will last a long time. The thrust washer will hold the mechanism against lateral movement.
Make metal blades, calculating the angle at which they need to be bent (the power of the hydroelectric power plant depends on this parameter). The blades will need to be screwed on using rubber gaskets to prevent them from coming off.
Use a tube-assembled shaft to transmit torque.
Install the generator. Put a pulley on the generator that is smaller than that mounted on the shaft. This will increase the RPM, which is necessary for the efficient operation of the generator.

The generator should produce about 600 watts of electricity. This will make it possible to connect household appliances. If the next stage of the experiment is successful, it will be possible to think about further modernization in order to generate several kilowatts of electricity.

If a river or even a small stream flows near your home, then with the help of a self-made mini hydroelectric power station, you can get free electricity. Perhaps this will not be a very large replenishment of the budget, but the realization that you have your own electricity is much more expensive. Well, if, for example, in a dacha, there is no central power supply, then even small power capacities will simply be needed. And so, to create a self-made hydroelectric power plant, at least two conditions are necessary - the availability of a water resource and a desire.

If both are present, then the first thing to do is to measure the flow rate of the river. It is very simple to do this - throw a twig into the river and measure the time during which it will swim 10 meters. By dividing meters by seconds, you get the current speed in m / s. If the speed is less than 1 m / s, then a productive mini hydroelectric power station will not work. In this case, you can try to increase the flow rate by artificially narrowing the channel or making a small dam if you are dealing with a small stream.

As a guide, you can use the ratio between the flow rate in m / s and the power removed from the propeller shaft in kW (propeller diameter 1 meter). These are experimental data, in reality, the power obtained depends on many factors, but it is suitable for evaluation. So:

0.5 m / s - 0.03 kW,
0.7 m / s - 0.07 kW,
1 m / s - 0.14 kW,
1.5 m / s - 0.31 kW,
2 m / s - 0.55 kW,
2.5 m / s - 0.86 kW,
3 m / s -1.24 kW,
4 m / s - 2.2 kW, etc.

The power of a self-made mini hydroelectric power station is proportional to the cube of the flow rate. As already mentioned, if the flow rate is insufficient, try to artificially increase it, if it is possible, of course.

Types of mini-hydroelectric power plants

There are several basic options for homemade mini hydroelectric power plants.

It is a paddle wheel mounted perpendicular to the surface of the water. The wheel is less than half immersed in the stream. The water presses on the blades and turns the wheel. There are also turbine wheels with special blades optimized for the fluid jet. But these are rather complex designs, rather factory-made than home-made.

It is a vertical axis rotor used to generate electrical energy. A vertical rotor that rotates due to the pressure difference across its blades. The pressure difference is created due to the flow of liquid around complex surfaces. The effect is similar to the lift of hydrofoils or the lift of an airplane wing. This design was patented by Georges Jean-Marie Darier, a French aeronautical engineer in 1931. It is also often used in the construction of wind turbines.

Garland the hydroelectric power plant consists of light turbines - hydrowing rotors, strung and rigidly fixed in the form of a garland on a cable thrown across the river. One end of the cable is fixed in the support bearing, the other rotates the rotor of the generator. In this case, the cable plays the role of a kind of shaft, the rotational movement of which is transmitted to the generator. The flow of water rotates the rotors, the rotors rotate the cable.

Also borrowed from the designs of wind power plants, a kind of "underwater wind turbine" with a vertical rotor. Unlike an air propeller, an underwater propeller has a minimum width of blades. For water, a blade width of only 2 cm is sufficient. With this width, there will be minimum resistance and maximum rotation speed. This blade width was chosen for a flow rate of 0.8-2 meters per second. At higher speeds, other sizes may be optimal. The propeller does not move due to water pressure, but due to the generation of lift. Just like an airplane wing. The propeller blades move across the flow rather than being carried away by the flow in the direction of the flow.

Advantages and disadvantages of various homemade mini hydroelectric power plant systems

The disadvantages of a garland hydroelectric power station are obvious: high material consumption, danger to others (long underwater cable, rotors hidden in the water, blocking the river), low efficiency. The Garland Hydroelectric Power Station is a kind of small dam. Suitable for use in deserted, remote locations with appropriate warning signs. May require permission from authorities and environmentalists. The second option is a small stream in your garden.

The Darrieus rotor is difficult to calculate and manufacture. At the beginning of work, you need to untwist it. But it is attractive in that the rotor axis is located vertically and power take-off can be performed above water, without additional gears. Such a rotor will rotate with any change in the direction of flow - this is a plus.

The most common in the construction of self-made hydroelectric power plants were the schemes of the propeller and water wheel. Since these options are relatively easy to manufacture, require minimal calculations and are implemented at minimal cost, have high efficiency, are easy to configure and operate.

An example of the simplest mini-hydroelectric power station

If you are using two blades, then set them opposite each other. If you want to add more blades, then divide the circumference of the wheel by the number of blades and install them at equal intervals. You can experiment with the depth of immersion of the paddle wheel in the water. Usually it is submerged from one third to one half.

The option of a marching wind farm was considered earlier.

Such a micro hydroelectric power station does not take up much space and will perfectly serve cyclists - the main thing is the presence of a stream or rivulet - which is usually the case in the campsite. A mini hydroelectric power plant from a bicycle will be able to light up a tent and charge cell phones or other gadgets.

In connection with the constant rise in the cost of carbohydrate energy carriers, experts are paying more and more attention to the advantages that the use of electricity obtained in a more economical way gives. One of the most economical and environmentally friendly ways to generate electricity is a hydroelectric power plant for the home, the costs of which are reduced to the initial construction and maintenance of equipment. But not every locality has natural opportunities for the construction of such structures, which require a powerful water flow and a large difference in heights created by the dam, in this case, mini hydroelectric power plants come to the aid of power engineers.

The principle of operation and mini hydroelectric power station

The principle of operation of this equipment is quite simple, which adds to its reliability. The water flow, falling on the turbine blades, rotates a hydraulic drive coupled to an electric generator, which provides electricity generation under the control of a controlling system.
Modern mini hydroelectric power plants are equipped with a control system that makes it possible to operate in an automatic mode with an instant transition to manual control in the event of an emergency. A multilevel protection system avoids equipment overloads when external conditions change. The design of the stations allows you to minimize the construction work during the installation of the necessary equipment.

Varieties of mini hydroelectric power plants

A mini hydroelectric power plant is equipment with a capacity from 1 to 3000 kW, which includes a water intake device (turbine), a generating unit and an equipment control system.
Depending on the water resources used, mini hydroelectric power plants are divided into several categories:

channel stations using the energy of small rivers with organized reservoirs. They are mainly used on flat terrain;
stationary stations using the energy of a fast current during the operation of mountain rivers;
stations using water flow differences in industrial plants;
mobile stations using reinforced sleeves to organize the flow.

According to the expected pressure of the water flow, the correspondence of the hydroelectric unit and its turbine to the power of the power generating unit is designed to ensure the required generator speed and facilitate the creation of the required current frequency.

For various operating conditions of mini hydroelectric power plants, appropriate turbine designs have been developed:

with a high pressure of a water flow of more than 60 m, radial-axial and bucket turbines are used;
with an average flow rate of 25 - 60 m, turbines of Kaplan and radial-axial designs have proven themselves well;
on low-pressure flows, it is more profitable to use rotary-blade and propeller structures placed in reinforced concrete chambers.

DIY home hydroelectric power plant video

Features of connecting a mini hydroelectric power station

The device of this equipment allows you to connect the stations directly to the power supply network, in this case a synchronous generator is used. To create a local network, an asynchronous unit is used, which is equipped with a ballast load unit necessary to dissipate excess power in order to avoid failure of the power supply systems and abrupt changes in the main parameters of the network.

Advantages and disadvantages of mini hydroelectric power plants

The advantages of the operation of such systems include:

environmental safety of equipment and no need to flood large areas;
low cost of the electricity received, which is several times cheaper than that generated at thermal power plants;
simplicity and reliability of the equipment used and the possibility of its operation in an autonomous mode;
inexhaustible natural resource used

The disadvantages include:

power outages in certain regions in the event of equipment failure, in the case of using mini hydroelectric power plants as a local source. This is compensated by the presence of an emergency power supply that is automatically connected;
weak production and repair base of this energy supply industry in our country.

If a river or even a small stream flows near your home, then with the help of a self-made mini hydroelectric power station, you can get free electricity. Perhaps this will not be a very large replenishment of the budget, but the realization that you have your own electricity is much more expensive. Well, if, for example, in a country house, there is no central power supply, then even small power capacities will simply be needed. And so, to create a self-made hydroelectric power plant, at least two conditions are necessary - the availability of a water resource and a desire.

If both are present, then the first thing to do is to measure the flow rate of the river. It is very simple to do this - throw a twig into the river and measure the time during which it will swim 10 meters. By dividing meters by seconds, you get the current speed in m / s. If the speed is less than 1 m / s, then a productive mini hydroelectric power station will not work. In this case, you can try to increase the flow rate by artificially narrowing the channel or by making a small dam if you are dealing with a small stream.

As a guide, you can use the ratio between the flow rate in m / s and the power removed from the propeller shaft in kW (propeller diameter 1 meter). These data are experimental, in reality, the power obtained depends on many factors, but it is suitable for evaluation. So:

0.5 m / s - 0.03 kW,
0.7 m / s - 0.07 kW,
1 m / s - 0.14 kW,
1.5 m / s - 0.31 kW,
2 m / s - 0.55 kW,
2.5 m / s - 0.86 kW,
3 m / s -1.24 kW,
4 m / s - 2.2 kW, etc.

Power homemade mini hydroelectric power station proportional to the cube of the flow rate. As already indicated, if the current speed is insufficient, try to artificially increase it, if it is possible of course.

Types of mini-hydroelectric power plants

There are several basic options for homemade mini hydroelectric power plants.

Water wheel

It is a paddle wheel mounted perpendicular to the surface of the water. The wheel is less than half immersed in the stream. The water presses on the blades and turns the wheel. There are also turbine wheels with special blades optimized for the fluid jet. But these are rather complex designs, rather factory-made than home-made.

Rotor Darrieus

Garlandnaya hydroelectric power station

The hydroelectric power plant consists of light turbines - hydraulic rotors, strung and rigidly fixed in the form of a garland on a cable thrown across the river. One end of the cable is fixed in the support bearing, the other rotates the rotor of the generator. In this case, the cable plays the role of a kind of shaft, the rotational movement of which is transmitted to the generator. The flow of water rotates the rotors, the rotors rotate the cable.

Propeller

Advantages and disadvantages of various homemade mini hydroelectric power plant systems

disadvantages garland hydroelectric power station obvious: high material consumption, danger to others (long underwater cable, rotors hidden in the water, blocking the river), low efficiency. The Garland Hydroelectric Power Station is a kind of small dam. Suitable for use in deserted, remote locations with appropriate warning signs. May require permission from authorities and environmentalists. The second option is a small stream in your garden.
Rotor Darrieus- difficult to calculate and manufacture. At the beginning of work, you need to untwist it. But it is attractive in that the rotor axis is located vertically and power take-off can be performed above water, without additional gears. Such a rotor will rotate with any change in the direction of flow - this is a plus.

The most widespread at building self-made hydroelectric power plants got the diagrams of the propeller and the water wheel. Since these options are relatively easy to manufacture, require minimal calculations and are implemented at minimal cost, have high efficiency, are easy to configure and operate.

If you do not have water energy, you can make your own home wind farm.

NS Example of the simplest mini-hydroelectric power station

The simplest hydroelectric power plant can be quickly built from a regular bicycle with a bicycle headlight dynamo. Several blades must be prepared from galvanized iron or not thick sheet aluminum (2-3). The blades should be length from the wheel rim to the hub, and 2-4 cm wide. These blades are installed between the spokes in any available way or pre-prepared mounts.
If you are using two blades, then set them opposite each other. If you want to add more blades, then divide the circumference of the wheel by the number of blades and install them at equal intervals. You can experiment with the depth of immersion of the paddle wheel in the water. Usually it is submerged from one third to one half.
The option of a marching wind farm was considered earlier.

Such a micro hydroelectric power station does not take up much space and will perfectly serve cycling tourists - the main thing is the presence of a stream or rivulet - which is usually the case in the campsite. A mini hydroelectric power plant from a bicycle will be able to light up a tent and charge cell phones or other gadgets.